The Theft of Lands

The Mighty Mites

24

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The Adventurers move into the Kamelands, between the Thorn and Shrike Rivers, making detailed maps and clearing the area of monsters. They find a large Oak Tree in the shape of a giant claw reaching from the ground. Weary of Golems or ancient Giants said to have ruled the Stolen Lands in ancient times, the group carefully explore the area, but move on.

Further south they travel, and reach a second conspicuous tree, this one a huge Sycamore Tree sitting by itself on top of a hill. The area around the tree is well traveled, with hundreds of tiny footprints moving in and around the tree. With further investigation the group find an entrance to a cave buried in the tree’s roots.

Viceak leads the way and uncovers a dark tunnel. With his companions in tow, he follows the sound of some voices to an open room where they find a pair of small bug-like creatures firing small projectiles at each other.

Dingetooth and Uurch are busy inventing new treacherous machinations of death. Their latest doomsday machine is a catapult which shoots caltrops. The device is finished just in time, as the two Mites test the device on each other, those big ugly beady eyed humanses invade their lair.

Viceak and Belril come upon the two Mites fiddling with some weird contraption and attack!

Quick as the wind, Dungetooth turns to face the humanses but the stupid Uurgh is not so fast. A swing from the smelly one smooshes his little brother. The dummy should have been faster. But Dungetooth will have the last laugh – he has ‘The Weapon’ and unleashes it! The caltrop flies through the air and with supreme accuracy and power smacks directly into the armored opponent who flies through the air, back flips, hits the wall, cracks his head on the wall, and falls to floor gurgling. Now for his smellier opponent…

Belril takes a hit… from a caltrop? Barely feeling the hit, Belril looks at the bug who attacked him. The little monster looked so expectant that Belril yelled a mighty roar as if his hit by the mightiest of rocks in the scrotum. Seconds later: Belril finishes off the second of the Mites, this room is cleared.

On the opposite side of this little workshop of evil comes more chittering voices and a sharp cry of pain. Behind them, down a corridor comes another voice and the scrabbling of many feet.

Quoggy, busy training here favorite vermin, was interrupted by battle in the workshop. She takes a peek, expecting to unleash her babies on some kobolds, but was surprised to find humans. She runs and warns the others.

The group move to the West and South, into a large chamber. On the walls are chains and manacles, held about 3 feet off the floor. Hanging in one pair is a badly beaten Kobold, bleeding and crying.

Belril hears the cries of the poor Kobold and frees him, one more point for the good guys. Surely this choice will pay off in the end. Mikmek says there are “many and more” evil Mites in these tunnels, so the group move further into the tunnels. They move down a long tunnel and nothing, the mites have moved on, so around a curve and into a deeper cavern.

“Ahhh! The trap is set!” Grabbles yells atop Tickleback, his Giant Tick mount. Grabbles releases his hoard on the humans as the come around the thin tunnel.

“Ahhh! The trap is set!” yells Belril as he leads the group around the corner. the tunnel is thin – too thin to maneuver, too thin to move. But at least the little monsters can’t take advantage of their numbers.

Ohhh… but they can! The mites attack en-force, piling on the attacks on the front-lines, the tall guy who shines, and the other guy who swings too often. Then they let the vermin loose – Quoggy instructs the beasts to climb the walls and attack the humans’ back sides. Victory is insured!

Attack left, attack right, punch through the center. Then left, then right, then center. Every swing brings down a foe. You can never swing too often. The most difficult part of this battle, Belril and Viceak think in concert, is kicking down the piles of dead at their feet so they can get to fresh meat.

Altanus and Petorin are surprised as the Centipedes attack from the ceiling of the cave. Fiercely they fight the beasts, but they just aren’t made for this sort of thing.

Belril pushes a counter attack and moves into the Mite’s common room. Viceak takes the opportunity to turn and help his two companions. Together the group clean up the straggling mites and centipedes in the tunnel.

“No! No no no no no! This can’t be!” Grubbles roars and charges the giant metal man in a fury. Belril is knocked back, surprised as he takes his first pains in this battle. The Giant Tick flails furiously as Grubbles struggles to hold on. Back and forth the battle rages, smashing tables, and chairs. Then Altanus reaches the fight – returning Belril to full health. Petrorin finds his way to the back of the Giant Tick and pounces on the fierce bug. When Viceak joins the fray the battle is all but over.